13 Smart Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start a Garden - FineGardening (2024)

Garden Lifestyle

Before you buy the jean overalls and have a dump truck of manure dropped on your driveway, it's worth it to take a day or so to think about your gardening goals.

13 Smart Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start a Garden - FineGardening (1) By Chris McLaughlin

13 Smart Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start a Garden - FineGardening (2)

Before you buy the jean overalls and have a dump truck of manure dropped on your driveway, it’s worth it to take a day or so to think about your gardening goals. It may seem like a small thing, but to avoid being disappointed (or disillusioned) it’s a step you’ll be happy you took.

You may dream of roses, cutting flowers, or herbs. Or maybe succulents are your thing. You may want to try some vegetables such as tomatoes, green beans, or squash. Maybe your dream garden includes fruit trees such as lemons and yard-perfect, columnar apples. There’s also blueberries to consider or a wildlife garden. There are even plants you can grow for crafts. The possibilities are endless. But before you jump in with both feet, you should have a plan – even if it’s a rough sketch on the back of your third-grader’s homework.

Here are some good questions to ask yourself before you choose your garden site:

  1. What part of your yard gets full sun (6-8 hours)? The least? In-between? You should know at least this much about your yard.
  2. What is the first vegetable, fruit, or herb that immediately comes to mind when you think of garden produce? This is the crop you should start with.
  3. What kinds of foods do you and your family eat often? These are the first (and the most) types vegetables to go with. But gardeners should always plant something new to try, as well.
  4. Are you going to have help from family members? Think about how much you can feasibly do by yourself verses if you have backup.
  5. What areas in your yard can you reasonably give to raising food crops? You can always mix flowers in with your produce, you know.
  6. Would you be willing to give up some of your lawn? Nice raised beds look lovely with a green lawn path for walking rows.
  7. Think about your specific growing and garden zone. Do you have a long growing season or a short one? This will affect which plant varieties you choose.
  8. Do you get heavy snow or none at all? This affects whether you purchase winter-hardy types of plants versus more tender ones.
  9. What plants do you see at your local nursery? In your neighbor’s yard? This will clue you in to what grow well in your area and give you a head-start without the guessing.
  10. Do you want crops you can store for some months like potatoes, onions and carrots? 10. Do you like to can fruits or berries? Consider berry plants and a couple of fruit trees..
  11. Do you like caring for animals? Rabbit and chicken manures are top notch for gardens (not to mention the fresh eggs).
  12. Do you enjoy cut flowers in the house? Look for long-lasting cutting types.
  13. Are you a crafter? Then you may want to consider birdhouse gourds or sunflowers to use as a creative medium.

While it isn’t necessary to hire a professional to draw up blueprints (although this is an excellent option) before you start planting; you’ll give yourself a tremendous advantage by taking a little time to think about what you’d like to grow, where it will go, and how you would like to use it.

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13 Smart Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start a Garden - FineGardening (10)

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13 Smart Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start a Garden - FineGardening (2024)

FAQs

What questions should I ask before starting a community garden? ›

Do you know what the land was used for previously? Have you conducted a soil test? What type of community garden are you envisioning: traditional garden with family plots, educational garden, urban farm or a hybrid of these types? How much community support do you have for the garden?

When starting a garden What is the first thing you need to do? ›

Prepare the Soil

Use a spading fork or shovel to dig and loosen the soil and break up large chunks of dirt. Rake your garden area and remove grass, weeds, rocks, roots and other debris. Mix in some fresh garden soil with a hoe.

What is the most important thing in a garden? ›

Why and how it's important for gardeners to improve the soil in their gardens.

What are the four steps you should take when preparing a home garden? ›

4 Steps to Your Vegetable Garden
  1. Step #1 – Decide what you want to plant. There's no need to create a massive garden to grow all your favorite vegetables. ...
  2. Step #2 – Choose an area for your garden. ...
  3. Step #3 – Pick up your materials. ...
  4. Step #4 – Get Planting!

What is the best way to start a community garden? ›

Steps to Starting a Community Garden
  1. Find Available Land. ...
  2. Engage Your Community. ...
  3. Find Resources to Support Your Community Garden. ...
  4. Decide What to Plant in a Community Garden Plot. ...
  5. Prep and Build the Site. ...
  6. Determine Rules and Put Them in Writing. ...
  7. Maintain and Grow Your Community Garden.
Mar 14, 2022

What is a good size for a community garden? ›

o 30-100 square feet is a great beginner garden size o 100-300 square feet of space is adequate for most households o 300-600 for more serious gardeners wanting to cook frequently and preserve food for winter. o More than 600 square feet can be a serious “mini-farm” supplying large quantities of food during the main ...

What are the 10 steps to planting a garden? ›

Follow these 10 steps to help you enjoy the bounty of a productive vegetable garden:
  1. Choose locally adapted varieties. ...
  2. Plant at the right time of year. ...
  3. Prepare the soil properly before planting. ...
  4. Plant properly. ...
  5. Water consistently. ...
  6. Fertilize regularly. ...
  7. Mulch. ...
  8. Eliminate weeds.

What is the first thing a gardener sits in a garden? ›

The first thing a gardener typically puts in the garden is soil or a growing medium. The quality and composition of the soil are essential for plant health and growth. Gardeners may prepare the soil by amending it with compost, organic matter, or other nutrients to improve its fertility and structure.

What is the best layout for a vegetable garden? ›

As a general rule, put tall veggies toward the back of the bed, mid-sized ones in the middle, and smaller plants in the front or as a border. Consider adding pollinator plants to attract beneficial insects that can not only help you get a better harvest, but will also prey on garden pests.

What is the most important tool every gardener should have? ›

Here are 10 tools that it's hard to do without.
  1. Gloves – the most important garden tools? If you've ever tried pulling up nettles or cutting back thorny shrubs without them, you'll understand why gloves are at the top of this list. ...
  2. Hand trowel. ...
  3. Hand fork. ...
  4. Shovel. ...
  5. Digging fork. ...
  6. Rake. ...
  7. Secateurs. ...
  8. Long-handled pruners.

What is the most important animal in a garden? ›

Perhaps one of the most important members of the ecosystems our gardens provide is bees. They are by far one of the most effective pollinators, helping to spread a variety of plants all over. They provide food this way, by creating an opportunity for fruit, nuts, seeds, berries, and roots to be consumed.

What are the six things in garden? ›

Answer: The correct answer to this question is grass, Bench, Road, Fountain, Trees, Bushes, Birds, Shops, Swing, See-Saw, Slides, People, Stone, Rocks, and Flowers.

How do I plan my garden layout? ›

Map Out Your Plants

Sketch out your plan on paper. Use graph paper and draw to scale, keeping in mind the mature size and habit of each kind of plant. Site larger plants, like corn and tomatoes, where they won't cast shade over shorter plants. Choose compact varieties if you have limited space.

What are 5 things you should do to prepare a good veggie garden? ›

To help you on your road to planning your first vegetable garden, here are a few key things you ought to know:
  1. You need an area with good sunlight. ...
  2. The soil you use is important. ...
  3. You need to invest in garden supplies. ...
  4. You can choose both vegetable plants and seeds. ...
  5. Be prepared for pests.

What are the challenges to know when creating a community garden? ›

5 Challenges in Managing a Community Garden and How to Plow Through Them
  • Getting approval to start a garden. ...
  • Securing funding. ...
  • Deciding upon which vegetables or flowers to grow. ...
  • Security. ...
  • Getting the kids in the community interested.

Which is the first step in creating a community garden? ›

The first step to starting community gardening is creating a garden plan, which includes information on the garden size, what type of plants to select, and where to position the garden. Once the garden is ready, it's time to plant and water the seeds regularly.

How do you prepare a community garden plot? ›

Try not to get overwhelmed, but be diligent clear away all plant foliage and clear the garden plot thoroughly. You don't want diseased foliage in your garden bed. Amend the soil with well-decomposed compost and other organic material at least two weeks before planting.

How do you propose a community garden? ›

  1. Get Your Neighbors Involved. There is a lot of work involved in starting a new garden. ...
  2. Form a Garden Group. ...
  3. Find Land for the Garden. ...
  4. Find out Who Owns the Land. ...
  5. Find out if Your Proposed Site has Water. ...
  6. Contact the Land Owner. ...
  7. Get Your Soil Tested. ...
  8. Signing a Lease.

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